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[email protected] · March 29th 11, 11:50 PM posted to uk.transport.london

In article
,
(Mizter T) wrote:

On Mar 29, 7:52*pm, wrote:

In article ,
(Mizter T) wrote:

[Oyster card deposit increased from GBP3 to GBP5]

The rationale behind this is solid - it's to avoid people getting a
card, loading the minimum amount on it needed to get through the
gates at their starting station, making a longer journey, exiting
leaving the card with a negative balance then discarding the card.

Example - a peak PAYG single from zone 1 to Watford Junction is
GBP7.70. To get through the gates to start a journey in zone 1, a
card needs to have the minimum fare chargeable from that station on
it - in this case GBP1.90. If the deposit was still GBP3.00, then
it'd be possible to obtain a card and load it with sufficient PAYG
credit for a total outlay of GBP4.90, then use it to get to Watford
Junction - on exiting the full GBP7.70 would be charged leaving the
card with a negative balance of GBP -5.80 (that's a minus), so the
punter just ditches said card - voila, they've 'saved' GBP2.80.

The higher deposit for the card negates this possibility.

Only slightly. They still save 80p at present. They do have to go to
Watford, I suppose. :-)

You're absolutely right - having explained it all I then didn't get
round to adding 5 and 1.90 together and realising that the answer came
to less than 7.70.

However this *only* works with the GBP7.70 peak PAYG fare from *zone
1* to Watford Junction (or v.v.) - worth noting that the peak PAYG
fare from *Euston* to Watford Jn is actually a bit less at GBP6.90, so
this would only work if starting from a z1 Tube station and changing
onto a train at some point (whether at Euston or somewhere along the
Queens Park to Harrow & Wealdstone stretch), or indeed doing the
reverse.

And, like I said, you have to go to Watford.

--
Colin Rosenstiel